How Do You Know Your Skin Type And Also Care For It?

Disclaimer

Hi, just letting you know that all products recommended here have been used by me, or are properly researched to ensure they are the best you are getting without bias.

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Knowing your skin type makes a lot of things easier for you especially skincare routines because not all routines are a ‘one type fits all skin’. You must know your skin type to be able to decide what routine would give you guaranteed results.
When we talk about skin type, people generally mean facial skin. If you read things on the Internet or hear people talk about skin types and you feel lost because you have no ideas what they mean and can’t really relate to the discussion, allow me to show you all you need to know about the various skin types in this post and also everything you need to know about your personal facial care.

Why You Should Know Your Skin Type

You should know that every skin type has different characteristics as well as different ways to go about taking care of it. If you mix things up and use a care routine that is not for your skin type simply because you don’t know what type your skin is, you may not like the result. Your skin could react to that, it could cause breakout problems or worse, it could cause your skin to reject the right routine when you finally start using it, not to mention that you could be spending lots of money on the routine but not seeing any results on your skin.
It is very necessary for you to understand all skin types and know where yours fall into so that you know what routines to follow, what products would work best for you and also save yourself time and stress using something which is not for your skin.

skin-types-and-care

What Are The Various Skin Types We Have?

So if you want to finally get into the skin type discussion with friends, you want to relate with what they are saying or you want to understand what you are reading on the internet when someone starts talking about skin types and routines for each skin, here are the different skin types out there which yours is a part of:

  • Oily skin
  • Dry skin
  • Combination skin
  • Blemished skin
  • Normal skin
  • Matured skin
  • Sensitive skin

Skin Type Number 1 – Combination Skin:

This takes its name from the fact that it is a combination of more than one skin type. From normal to dry skin, or oily to blemished skin. Combination skin could look shiny and can develop small blemishes especially in the T-zone area which is an area between the forehead, nose and chin.
And then, the cheek area could be normal or dry. The thing with this skin type is that the oily shine tends to develop impurities in the T-zone area and that’s why your T-zone area needs extra attention when you are using a facial care routine. A product that is specially formulated for combination skin would do you a whole lot of good. Don’t worry, I’ll talk about how best to manage each skin type in a bit.

2. Dry Skin:

If your skin looks rough and flaky, then you likely have dry skin. This skin type lacks moisture and fats. It is, therefore, less elastic, it is tight, rough and flaky, and in many cases, tends to itch. It reacts to environmental influences in particular by becoming irritated and also external influences such as temperature.

3. Oily Skin

Oily face is usually a result of excessive production of sebum; which is an oily substance that is naturally produced by the skin. Too much of everything is bad; so excessive sebum is bad too. It leads to clogging of skin pores, resulting in the accumulation of dead cells and even formation of pimples/acne. This face type is quite common among ladies so a good oily-free face routine is as important as the regular facial care for other types of skin.

4. Normal Skin:

This skin is usually supple and soft, elastic, fine-pored and has a rosy complexion. So if that’s what you see whenever you look in the mirror, then you have normal skin. This is by far the sweetest skin type (no jokes) because even committing occasional beauty crimes won’t do it too much harm. You can always get away with certain things but you won’t get that lucky with other skin types. It is unproblematic and would require not much care to keep it healthy. But the thing is, it’s kinda hard to come across people with such skin type and so if you have one, good for you, just be super grateful for it. However, if you are like me that struggle with an oily face, well this facial care routine I use would help you greatly in putting it under control.

normal-skin-type

5. Blemished Skin:

Most people usually just mention dry, oil and combination skin and they end there. But there’s more and one of them is blemished skin. This skin type tends to produce more sebum than necessary and genetic predisposition, stress and hormonal fluctuations which are mostly responsible for this. The result of this is usually not pleasant at all because someone with this skin type always struggles with blackheads and spots appearing on obvious areas on the face.
Blemished skin is usually large-pored, shiny and tends to develop impurities due to the oil that is produced in excess. With special care, you can restore your skin’s moisture and strengthen your its protective barriers.

6. Sensitive Skin:

If you have got sensitive skin, well you may need to take extra care as almost everything including its own routine, is an irritation to it. Sensitive skin reacts very well to external influences such as stress, dry air from heating systems or UV light. Worse, if the skin is thrown out of balance, it feels tight, itchy and dry and develops redness. This skin type, therefore, requires extra special care to calm it and strengthen its barriers at the same time to make it more resistant. Special care products can help restore your skin’s natural balance in no time.

7. Mature Skin:

The thing is, it’s kinda difficult for our skin to stay the way it is when we were young. Aside from going under the knife, doing botox and all that, it’s hard to retain that elasticity you had when you were a lot younger. You may have followed very good routine while growing up and it’s paying off while you have grown older, there’s just a point in time that your skin would no longer be as it used to be when you were a lot younger.
As we grow older, lots of different processes take place in the skin that changes its appearance, structure and the activities it performs. This includes reduced cell activity, slower regeneration, lower collagen production or damage caused by UV radiation. When you notice that, you have got mature skin. This skin type lacks moisture and elasticity and the wrinkles and lines are visible. But with innovative care products, you can reduce the lines, wrinkles and pigment spots.

Test To Determine Your Own Skin Type

It’s quite easy to determine your own skin type. You can do this in a short time. Simply wash your face and wait for like an hour. Then get a little tissue and dab your T-zones, cheeks and nose with it to check if any oil would appear on it. One of these would happen for you to know where you belong:

  1. If you find oil, then you have oily skin.
  2. If there isn’t any oil but your face feels dry and tight, you may have dry skin.
  3. If your T-zone appears oily and other areas are dry, you have got yourself a combination skin.
  4. If your skin feels irritated or itchy when you touch, you probably have sensitive skin.
  5. If there are always breakouts on your face even for no reason, unless maybe when it’s that time of the month which is normal for some people, then you most definitely have blemished skin.
  6. If nothing happens, no oil, no flakiness, no irritation, no nothing, then sweetie you have got a normal skin and I am so jealous of you right now (sniffs)!
  7. If it lacks elasticity, moisture, youthful glow and all that stuff, you sure have mature skin.

So, here is a diagram giving a visual demonstration of how you can determine your skin type.

test-to-check-your-skin-type

How To Care For Each Skin Type

So now you know what the different skin types are, why they are important for you to know them, and you have probably gone ahead to check out which one you are. Let me just go ahead and show you the best ways you can care for your skin type when you finally get to know which one you are. I just want to let you know that for any skin type you are, you need to stick to a consistent skincare routine so that your skin can get used to the products and deliver better results that way. Also, try to avoid products that say “made for all skin types”, it may never be the answer to your problems. Here are tips on how to care for each skin type:

Managing Oily Skin

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. Consume less hot and spicy foods.
  3. Use a foam cleanser, an alcohol-based toner and an oil-free moisturizer twice every day for best results. A facial cleanser that contains sulfur, salicylic acid or tea tree oil helps dissolve excess sebum and that’s why I always recommend this La Roche-Posay’s medicated facial cleanser that has salicylic acid for acne & oily skin.
  4. You can use an astringent like Alba Botanica Acnedote Maximum Strength Deep Clean Astringent every other day to make the skin less oily.
  5. Try exfoliating once a week with good exfoliators to help you get rid of dead skin cells on the surface of the face.
  6. Apply a facial mask once a week to purify, smoothen and preserve the complexion of the face.
  7. I also have a checklist to help you achieve an oil-free face in no time. Click this link to get my own facial care routine that can help you get guaranteed results fast.

How To Care For Combination Skin Type

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. The most important thing for any skin type is to choose a care product that is specifically tailored to your skin type. For combination skin, such a product just for it would promote the restoration of the skin’s own moisture balance.
  3. Use lukewarm water instead of hot or ice-cold water whenever you are washing your face.
  4. Always cleanse your skin thoroughly using an unscented cleanser before applying any other facial care product.
  5. Regularly use an oil-free moisturizer like this Neutrogena Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer on oily areas of your face. And on the dry areas, use an oil-based moisturizer like this Neutrogena Lightweight Body Oil for Dry Skin.

Care Tips For Dry Skin

  1. The skin’s moisture is very important and dry skin lacks that. You can help your skin from within by drinking at least 2 litres of still water every day.
  2.  Don’t do long, hot showers as hot water can strip oils from the skin faster than warm water.
  3. A good and gently daily cleanser specifically for dry skin is what you need.
  4. Just after taking your bath while your body is still damp, use a good body oil like this Neutrogena Lightweight Body Oil for Dry Skin to lock in moisture and keep your skin hydrated always.
  5. Use day creams with sun protection factor to protect your skin from UV radiation.
  6. A serum made specifically for dry skin is a perfect addition to your moisturising care so don’t ignore it.
  7. Skincare products with natural oils can greatly relax your skin so invest more in that.
  8. Once in a week, you can used this Tree Hut’s Ultra Hydrating and Exfoliating Scrub for nourishing essential skincare to help you remove impurities and dead cells from the surface of the skin.

Tips For Normal Skin Type

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. Normal skin doesn’t require special care so a regular day and night care can still keep your skin fresh.
  3. No matter what, don’t forget to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays to protect your skin from the sun.
  4. Gentle exfoliation with a good exfoliator like this Tree Hut’s Ultra Hydrating and Exfoliating Scrub for nourishing essential skincare once a week will help remove impurities and dead skin cells.
  5. Gently massaging your face cream into your skin will help boost your blood circulation.
  6. Proper eye care will also make your whole face sparkle.

Caring for Your Blemished Skin

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. It’s essential that you NEVER go to bed with your makeup at night as it can block your pores overnight (this is applicable to other skin types, but more of a problem for blemished skin). Use a good cleanser like this Salicylic Acid gentle cleanser for blemish skin to cleanse your face before hitting the bed.
  3. Treat your skin to a gentle scrub and a face mask once a week.
  4. Stop touching your face with your hands when not necessary and NEVER squeeze your blackheads or pimples!
  5. A matting day cream will reduce the extra shine on your face giving you an oily look.

Tips For Sensitive Skin

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. Always bath with warm water.
  3. Use a gentle facial moisturizer like this Neutrogena Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer, Sensitive Skin to lock moisture into the skin after each time under the water.
  4. Choose a face cream that provides protection against harmful environmental/external influences.
  5. Gently dab your face with a towel after washing it rather than rubbing it vigorously. And use a nice foaming cleanser like Aveeno’s Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser and Makeup Remover to remove dirt and makeup without irritating the skin.
  6. Always use perfume-free soaps as fragrances can cause your skin more irritation.
  7. Generally, avoid harsh products that would leave your skin irritated.
  8. Switch your diet to something healthy and try to avoid hot spicy foods as they are not good for your skin.

How To Care For Matured Skin

  1. Stay hydrated always.
  2. A cream cleanser will work great for your skin type.
  3. Use a good anti-ageing serum to reduces wrinkles, boost collagen, heals and repair skin while improving its tone and texture.
  4. Too much exposure to the sun can cause your skin to age very fast so make sure you use enough sun protection daily.
  5. Use a special eye care cream because those fine lines around the eyes are the first to appear.
  6. Moisturising masks with high-quality oils would nurture your skin so make them your go-to always.
  7. Choose face creams that support cell regeneration in the skin because this is what your skin needs at this point.
matured-facial-skin-care
In conclusion,

As long as you know your skin type, it would be a lot easier for you to choose a routine for it because you know what to look out for and what to also avoid in most cases.

And here is a Complete Day & Night Facial Care Routine I know you would find super useful.

So, what is your skin type? And what’s your skincare routine like for it? Care to share in the comment box below.

 

#StayPretty

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[Kofi]

6 thoughts on “How Do You Know Your Skin Type And Also Care For It?”

  1. What I would do to get normal skin! My dry skin is not easy to handle and my patience is just hanging on a very thin thread as I have tried a lot of things but haven’t gotten lucky.

    Reply
  2. Okay, I think I’ve got a little bit of dry and sensitive skin which seems to me like it’s the worst combination because when you try to get your dry skin areas moisturized, your hypersensitive skin won’t stop irritating the f**k out of you!

    Reply

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